Automatic air device for internal-combustion engines



Aug. 7, 1923.

C. A. RIVERS AUTOMATIC AIE DEVICE Fol-I INTERNAL coMBUs'rIoN ENGINES Original Filed Sept. 1 2, 1918 Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

UNITED `ST'I'ES PATENT OFFlCE.

CHARLES A. RIVERS, OF EL PASO, TEXAS; ARA M. RVERS ADIVNSTRATBIX QF SAID CHARLES A. RIVERS, DECEASED.

AUTOMATIG AIR DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed September 12, 191B, Serial No. 253,341. Renewed January 30, 1922. Serial No, 532,898.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Bie it known that I, CHARLESv A. Rivers, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lill Paso, in the county oi El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new andl useful `improvements in Automatic Air Devices for internal-Combustion Engines, of which the 'following is a specication.

My present invention relates to devices Jfor the automatic regulation of the air supply to internal combustion engines, and particularly the auxiliary air supplied between the carburetor and the eng-ine cylinders.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for preventing the racing of such an engine when the load is removed therefrom, as when the clutch of an automobile is thrown out while both the car and the engine are ruiming.

A specific embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in 'which F ig. 1 is a side elevation showing my improvement applied to an automobile; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanism, with parts in section; and Fig` 3 is a vertical section on line -A- of Fig. 2.

At 1() l have indicated the cylinders oit an internal combustion engine of the type customary in motor cars, while 11 designates the intake manifold and 12 a trunk interposed between said manifold andthe outlet ot the carburetor 13, which outlet is controlled by a throttle valve 13 arranged and operated in any wellfknown or approved manner. The parts so l'ar referred to need not differ from usual constructions.

The automatic air inlet controlled as set forth hereinafter, is shown as an auxiliary air inlet located at a suitable point between the engine cylinders and the throttle valve 13" of" the carburetor, for instance at the side of the trunk 12, as indicated at 12". The valve controlling this inlet might be located immediately adjacent thereto` as illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,221,597, issued to me on April 3, 1917. However, as this location of the valve might be inconvenient in some cases, prefer to entend a iiexible tube 14 of; any approved (aimtight) construction from said inlet to a valve-tube or valvefcasing 15 located at `any point suitable for placing?, the connections operating -`the valuel pivoted `within said casing te `swing about a 'transverse aXis 16. lt will be understood that the tube 14; is in permanent communication with the interior of the trunk 12, through the opening 12, end that the tree end 15 of the valve casing 15 is permanently open to the surrounding air. rlhe butterfly valve 16 is connected with an arm 17 preferably having a series of openings 17 at di'tlerent distances from the axis 16, and any one of these openings is adapted to receive pivotally the outer end ot a connecting rod, pretyerably of variable length, as by making said rod ot two parallel sections 18, 19 overlapping at their adjacent ends and passing through a sleeve or coupling 20 within which they are secured after adjustment, say by means of a clamping screw 21. The other or inner end of the connecting rod .18, 19 is Aattached pivotally, as at 22. to the outer end ot a rod 22 mounted to slide rectilinearly in a direction transverse to the two parallel axes 16, 22. The rod 22 is shown as provided, at its inner end, with a head 22 fitted into a recess 23 at 'the outer end of a sleeve 2B which is supported on the outer end ot a shaft 24, journaled in a bearing A plug 26, screwing into the outer end ot the sleeve 23, serves to confine. the head 22 therein in such a manner as to compel the sleeve and the connecting rod to move in unison lengthwise, while allowing the sleeve to rotate relatively to said connecting rod, which has no rotary motion. Any other suitable connection may be employed between the sleeve 28 and the connecting rod 18, 19 to accomplish the rcsults just set forth.

To the shalt 24 is secured rigidly a collar or head 27, adjacent to one end ot the bearing 25, and a fast pulley`28, adjacent to the other end ot said bearing, thus preventing, or at least limiting, any longitudinal movement of said shaft. To the inner end ot the sleeve 28 is secured rigidly a collar or head 29 similar to the head 27 these heads are connected by a centrifugal. gov' ernor construction comprising links 30, '80 pivotally connected with the heads at 2T, 29 respectively, and also connected .pivot ally at their adjacent ends, to fly-weights 32, the pivot connections 3,2', 32 being preferably at different points, so that each link SO may be in the same longitudinal plane with its companion link @t course the/pivot axes 27', 29, 32", 32"" of companion links 30, 30 are parallel to each other and transverse to the shaft. A spring 33, coiled around the shaft 24 between the heads 27, 29, tends to press the sleeve 23 and the connecting rod 18, 19 outwardly and to close the butterfly valve 16.

On the shaft 24 is further mounted loosely a pulley 34, confined against longitudinal motion, say by the fast pulley 28 on one side, and on the other side by a collar 35 rigidly secured to the shaft. Either of said pulleys is adapted to receive the transmission belt 36, in permanent engagement with a drive pulley' 37 mounted on a shaft 38 operated by the engine in any suitable maiiner, so that while the engine is ruiming the belt 36 will be in operation.

The following mechanism is provided to shift the belt 36 from the pulley 28 to the pulley 34 or vice-versa. A bracket 39 is secured rigidly to the bearing 25, as by a set screw 39, and preferably this bracket is formed with a sleeve 39 surrounding the said bearing andy adjustable circumferentially thereof when the set screw 39 is loosened. On this bracket 39 is secured another bracket 40, preferably adjustable in and out, relatively to the pulleyf axis, as by sliding it on the bracket 39 andv then securing it thereto rigidly, say by a set screw 40. The two brackets 39, 40 form a carrier for the beltshifter 41, pivoted to the bracket 40 about an axis 41 transverse to the shaft 24, and

.provided with an openingor guide 41,

through which the belt 36 passes. This beltshifter may be operated manually, if desired, as by means of a rod 42 having a handle 42 at one end, adjacent to the dashboard 43 ofthe automobile, while the forward end of said rod may be conne: ted pivotally with the belt-shifter 41 at any one of a series of apertures 44, located at different distances from the a-Xis 41. At the saine point as the forward end of the rod 42, I have shown, likewise in pivotal connection with the belt-shifter 41, the forward end of an actuating rod 45, connected pivotallyl at 46 with the clutch lever 46, which is generf ally a pedal lever. The arrangement is such that when the clutch is thrown out as shown (pedal thrown forward, and engine disconnected from the transmission mechanism driving the car), the belt 36 will engage the loose pulley 34; when the clutch is engaged (pedal thrown rearward by the cus-y tomary spring, not shown, and engine in driving connection with the transmission) the belt 36 will engage the fast pulley 28 and thus operate the shaft 24 and the ccntrifugal governor.

The valve casing 15 and the bearing 25, With the parts carried thereby, are preferably secured to a base plate 47 to be clamped, bolted or otherwise attached to a suitable part of the car. These parts therefore constitute a unit readily applied to cars of different makes. When the said parts are carried by the same base plate (which however is not essential), lengthening or shortening the connecting rod 18, 19 will increase or decrease the normal tension of the spring 33 and thus vary the sensitiveness of the centrifugal governor, while attaching the connecting rod at different distances from the valve axis 16 will vary! the angular movement of the valve 16 corresponding to the same longitudinal movement of the sleeve 23. Should the device be made withoutthe common base plate 47 carrying the casing 15 and the bearing 25, said casing and bearing could be fastened separately to suitable parts of the machine, at an appropriate distance from each other, and with the axis 16 at variably selected distances from the aXis of the shaft 24, the length of the con necting rod and the effective length of the arm 17 being properly adjusted by varying thel degree of overlapping of the rod sections 18, 19 and the point of connection of said rod with said arm 17.

'The rod 45 (and the rod42 if used) will be connected with the belt-shifter 41 at the proper aperture 44 to secure the right amount of motion, according to the normal throw of the clutch lever 46, which norma-l throw variesl with different cars.

I prefer to make the belt-shifter 41 with an elastic arm'41-at adapted to be pressed strongly against the fast pulley 28 at the time the belt 36 is shifted to the loose pulley 34, so as to form a friction brake to arrest the shaft 24 more quickly. The base 47 is preferably cut short adjacent to the pulleys 28, 34, to allow the carrier 39, 40, to be swung clear around the bearing 25, if desired, so that said carrier with the beltshifter 41 may be adjusted readily to any position oircumferentially of the bearing 25 and shaft 24. The apparatus may therefore be adjusted to fit various conditions, whether the runs of thebelt 36 are inclined, as in the particular example? illustrated, or horizontal, or vertical. The adjustment of the bracket 40 in or out along thebracket 39 is for the purpose of adapt-ing the device to different-sized pulleys 28 and 34. The bearA ing 25 is supported upon a post 25 and an oil cup 25 lubricates the shaft 24.

The operation will be understood readily:

As long as the clutch is thrown out, the belt-shifter 41 will be in such' a position (Fig. 2) as to keep the belt 36 on'the loose pulley 34, and thus, if the engine is running with the clutch thrownfout, the' only effect on the attachment will be the operation of the belt 36 and of the loose pulley 34, without actuating the shaft 24 and the centrifugal governor. The spring 33 will therefore keep the valve`16 in the closed position, andno auxiliary air being admitted through f the inlet 12', the engine Will be prevented from racing. The act `of throwing in the clutch will automatically shift the belt 36 from the loose pulley 34 to the fast pulley 28, thus bringing the centrifugal governor intovplay, and causing the valve 16 to be opened more and more as the engine speed increases, with the engine driving the car.

At the same time, the friction brake ela, if provided, will be removed from the fast pulley 28, or at least the pressure of said brake will be greatly reduced. 0f course, any deccrease of engine speed will cause the centrifugal governor to move the valve 16 toward its closed position. In cases where the clutch is thrown out temporarily while the car is in motion (asin turning corners or crossing rough places) my improvement will automatically shift the belt back onto the loose pulley 34, thus throwing the centrifugal governor out of action and allowing the spring 33 to close the valve 16 thereby shutting off the supply of auxiliary air and preventing speeding up of the engine under such conditions'. The brake lila, if used, will be applied automatically at this time to stop the pulley 26 and shaft 24: more quiclrly.

The operation of the belt-shifter Ll1 by hand, as'by means of the rod 112, might be substituted for the clutch-controlled operation, that is the rod might be omitted, and in this case the operator would have to remember to shift the rod 4-2 properly tocorresp'ond to any change of the clutch lever 46 from the thrown-in to the thrownout position and vice versa. Of course, both rods 42 and 45 mightbe provided in the same structure as illustrated, thus permitting of operating the clutch and the beltshifter simultaneously either by hand or by foot as desired.

The inside cross sectional area of the flexible tube 14 will depend on the number of the engine cylinders and on their volume.

VVhi-le l have described my invention in itsk application to a motor car, it will be obvious that itis susceptible of use in other connections, the clutch lever 46, generically speaking, being a member which Controls the throwing in or out, of a load, and at the same time the connection of the engine or rotor with the governor controlling the valve 16. That is to say, when the load is put on the motor, the governor is brought into action to increase and regulate the supply of air to'v the combustible mixture, while as soon as the load is thrown olf, the governor is disconnected, to reduce such a supply to a minimum, and thereby prevent speeding of the motor.-

The speed of operation of the governor is, of course, determined by the operating speed of the engine, and as the engine speed increases or decreases, the auxiliary air inlet valvewhich is operatively connected to the governor is opened or closed. (In other words, as the throttle lever is movedtoy increase or decrease the volume of the gaseous mixture, the governor will be (operated-ac-l cordingly. to open or close the auxiliary air inlet valve. It is therefore apparent that if the engine is in operation whilethe car is standing still and the' clutch in neutral position, without changing the throttle valve adjustment, the engine will race. owing to the fact that the governor' is automatically thrown out of operation or disconnected from the engine whent-he clutch is thrown to neutral, the lauxiliary air inlet valve is completely closed and the operation of the motor is reduced to an idling speed. lf the governor was not thus thrown out of operation and the admission .of auxiliary air to the mixture cut. off, the speed of the motor would increase to a very material extent owing to its disconnection from ythe load,- which would probably result in serious damage to the motor. `Again, if the motor is working under a heavy load on an upgrade or through sand, with the throttle say half open, if the clutch is then released and the auxiliary air cut off, `the motor will race because it is `receiving charges through the carburetor in sulii'cient volume to supply the necessary power without the aid of the auxiliary air. 1t is'therefore essential that the supply of auxiliary air shall be entirely cut offsimultaneously with the release of the clutch, in order that the motor shall not race when the throttle is more or less closed. It willbe noted that `the valve 116 is a pivote'd valve, which responds readily to the governor and is much less liable than a slide valve to become clogged or jammed 7by par-v ticles of dust or other foreign matter.

Thus, while l have shown and described a satisfactory and preferred embodiment of my invention,` 't will be understood that changes may be made therein Awithin the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

l claim: f i 1. The combination` withy an internal combustion engine and means forL connecting it with a load or disconnecting it therefrom, of a lgovernor adapted to be driven by said engine `and contrlliug the proportionate supply of'gases in the combustible mixture, and means for connecting said governor with the engine by the action of connecting the engine with the load. and disconnecting the governor from the engine simultaneously `with the removal of the load from the engine. l 2. The combination.` with yan i internal eombustionengine and a clutch-controlling member for connecting the engine with theA driven mechanism or disconnecting it therefrom, of a governor radapted to be driven by said:engine` and controlling the `propor- However,

tionate supply of lgases in the combustible mixture,and means, operated by said clutchcontrolling member, for throwing the governor drive into action when the clutch is thrown in, and out of action when the clutch is vthrown out.

3. The combination, with an internalcombustion engine and a clutch-controlling member for connecting the engine with the driven mechanism or disconnecting it there.- from, of an air-inlet valve for said engine, means tending to normally close said valve, a governor adapted to be driven by said engine and controlling said valve to admit more air as the engine speed increases, and means, operated by said clutch-controlling member, for throwing the governor drive into action when the clutch is thrown in, and out of action when the clutch is thrown out.

4. The combination, with an internalcombustion engine and means for connecting it with a load or disconnecting it therefrom, of an air-inlet valve for said engine,

means tending to normally close said vlave,

a governor adapted to be driven by said engine and controlling said valve to admit more air as thev engine speed increases, and means, controlled by said load-applying means, for throwing the governor drive into action when the load is put on, and out of action when the load is removed.

5. The combination, with an internalcombustion engine and a clutch-controlling member for connecting they engine with the driven mechanism or disconnecting it therefrom, of an'air-inlet valve for said engine, means tending to normally close said valve, a centrifugal governor having a pulley operatively connected thereto, and controlling said valve to admit more air as the rot-ary speed of the governor increases, a loose pulley4 adjacent to the governor pulley, a belt driven by the engine and adapted to engage said pulleys, and a belt-shifter operatively connected with said clutch-controlling member to connect the belt with the Igovernor pulley when the clutch is thrown in, and with the loose pulley when the clutch is thrown out.

6. The combination, with an internalcombustion engine having an air-inlet valve, means tending tonormally close said valve, a'centrifugal governor having a pulley operatively connected thereto and controlling said valve to admit more air as the speed of the governor increases, a loose pulley adjacent to the governor pulley, a driving belt adapted to engage said pulleys, and a beltshifter for transferring said belt from one pulley to the other.

7. The combination, with a driving member and means for connecting it with a load or disconnecting it therefrom, of a centrifugal governor controlling said member and having a pulley, a loose pulley adjacent to said governor pulley, a belt operatively con-- nected with said driving member and adapted to engage said pulleys, and a belt-shifter operatively connected with said load-applying means to connect the belt with the governor pulley when the load is put on, and with the loose pulley when the load is removed.

8. The combination, with an internalcombustion engine having an air-inlet valve, means tending to normally close said vlave, a centrifugal governor having a pulley operatively connected thereto and controlling said valve to admit more air as the speed of the governor increases, a loose pulley adjacent to the governor pulley, a driving-belt adapted to engage said pulleys, a belt-shifter for transferring said belt from one pulley to the other, and a brake operatively connected with said belt-shifter, for arresting the overnor at the time the belt is shifted to the loose pulley.

9. The combination, with an internal-combustion engine having an air-inlet valve, means tending to normally close said valve, a centrifugal governor having a pulley operatively connected thereto and controlling said valve to admit more air as the speed of the governor increases, a loose pulley adjacent to the governor pulley, a driving belt adapted to engage said pulleys, a belt-shifter for transferringthe said belt from one pulley to the other, and a brake carried by said belt-shifter and adapted to be pressed against the governorlpulley at the time the belt is shifted to the loose pulley.

10. The combination, with a driving member and means for connecting it with a load or disconnecting it therefrom, of a centrifugal governor controlling saidmember and having a pulley, a loose pulley adjacent to said governor pulley. a belt operatively connected with said driving member and adapted to engage said pulleys, a belt-shifter operatively connected with said load-applying means to connect the belt with the governor pulley when the load is put on, and with the loose pulley when the load is removed, and a brake operatively connected with said beltshifter, for arresting the governor at the time the belt is shifted to the loose pulley.

l1. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a governor and means operatively connected therewith to automatically control the admission of auxiliary air to the combustible mixture in accordance with variations in the engine speed, and means operable at will to connect the governor to the engine or disconnect the same therefrom.

12. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a governor and means operatively connected therewith to automatically control the relative proportions of air and gas in the combustible mixture in accordance with variations in the engine speed,

said governor having fast and loose pulleys, a driving belt driven from the engine and adapted to engage said pulleys, and means operable at will to shift said belt from one pulley to the other.

13. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a governor and means operatively connected therewith to automatically control the relative proportions of air and gas in the combustible mixture in accordance with variations in the engine speed, means operable at will to connect the governor to the engine or disconnect the same therefrom, and means to arrest the action of the gover nor When the governor is disconnected from the engine.

14. In combination with an `internal combustion engine having means to operatively connect the engine to a driven mechanism, a

governor and means operatively connected therewith to automatically control the relative proportions of air and gas in the combustible mixture in accordance With variations in the engine speed, and means operated by the means for connecting the engine to the driven mechanism to operatively connect the governor to the engine or disconnect the same therefrom.

15. In combination With an automobile engine, a clutch mechanism, a governor operatively engaged With aforesaid clutch mechanism, an air inlet valve and means connecting said valve with the governor.

In testimony that he claims the foregoing as his invention, he has signed his name hereunder.

CHARLES A. RIVERS'. 

